Question:
2-10-02; Me think you are taking Jeremiah 4:23-25 out of context. The world “earth” in 4:23 is commonly translated as “land” as in verses 4:5,7,20,& 27, which refers to the land of Judah. This land or earth that was “without form, and void” refers to “all the cities thereof were broken down,” the coming destruction of Judah (verses 4:7,16,31 and 6:1)and not angelic cities in the past. In 4:25, “no man” refers to the fact that after these cities are destroyed, the cities were “without an inhabitant.” See verses 4:7,29; 10:20 and Isaiah 6:11. The phrases “no light,” in verse 4:23 and the “heavens above be black,” see Isaiah 5:30 for a better explanation. In verse 25, in the same sentence where it says, “there was no man,” it also says, “all the birds of heavens were fled.” If God had destroyed the earth because of Satan’s rebellion and then “remade” the earth including the birds prior to creating man, why did the birds flee in a world God now said was good? If these verses are referring to the prior time before the remaking of the earth then why weren’t the birds destroyed along with everything else in the world? In context these verses are not talking about the past but about the future. Your response please.
Answer:
I don’t believe that I am taking this out of context. The Scofield Reference Bible states back in 1909 the following: “Without form and void” describes the condition of the earth as the result of judgment (vs. 24-26; Isa 24:1) which overthrew the primal order of Genesis 1:1. I believe was taken back thru time to actually witness with his eyes the earth after God had destroyed it. This destruction was not the result of some enemy invasion, but the cities ‘were broken down at the PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND BY HIS FIERCE ANGER.” The birds were destroyed along with all life and God recreated the birds in Genesis 1:20.